ISLAMABAD: Najam Saqib, son of former chief justice Saqib Nisar, on Tuesday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against a National Assembly committee tasked with investigating his purported audio leak, wherein a voice said to be his could be heard demanding a ‘reward’ from a PTI leader for securing him the party ticket to contest Punjab elections.

In his petition, Mr Saqib requested the court to stop the proceedings of the parliamentary panel headed by Aslam Bhootani as the body was formed in violation of the National Assembly rules. The committee is scheduled to take up the matter on Thursday (tomorrow).

He also claimed that the committee did not summon him but the secretary of the committee still asked him to appear before the panel.

The petitioner also challenged the “legality and validity” of the National Assembly speaker’s decision to form the special committee to “audit, inquire and investigate” his alleged audio clip.

“Under the grab of these audio leaks, a campaign has been launched against the petitioner and his father that some kind of gratification has been obtained by Abuzar Chaddhar for the said ticket,” he said.

While he conceded that his father played a role in the award of a PTI ticket to Mr Chaddhar, the petition, however, stated that Mr Chaddhar explored other avenues as well to secure the party ticket.

Mr Saqib said, “the petitioner is very clear in his mind that Abuzar Chaddhar was given the ticker on the basis of positive decision taken in the appeal on merit”.

According to the petition, “The audio leak is a result of illegal surveillance of the petitioner’s privacy which can neither be disseminated nor be used for incriminating the petitioner”. Citing its evidential value, the petition said “any document or audio leak cannot be used in any trial or inquiry” unless it is clear that who recorded it or for what purpose.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2023